Prodigal
by SpySkater
Summary: With the disappearance of their teenage daughter, Claudia and Leena go through a rough time trying to track her. The story has been completely written. Four chapters set to go.
1. Hack

"Damn it!" Claudia exclaimed, slamming her hands on the computer keyboard. She sighed, her head dropping. She pressed her thumbs into her eyebrows, fingers clasping, eyes closing. The woman took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but she felt her heart pounding hard and fast against her chest.

Leena, placing a hand on the back of Claudia's chair, leaned over her shoulder to look at the computer screen.

"What?" she said, concerned. It was a rarity that Leena lost her zen nature. However, this was different. She couldn't find her center. There was no keeping calm. There was only overwhelming worry. It was relentless and it was disturbing her work. Claudia felt it, too. That was obvious from the Warehouse's behavior.

"Well, she's definitely my kid," Claudia replied through clenched teeth. She leaned back, running her fingers through medium-length ginger hair. She gestured to her laptop which had a video feed up. There was nothing but static. "She, uh, she managed to hack me out of the security feed. I don't even know how she realized I was there." Claudia put her fingers back on the keyboard.

"She does know all your tricks," Leena sighed.

"Too smart for her own good."

"At least you found her."

"Yeah, but can I find her again? Last time we lost her, she was off radar for three weeks. How long will she be gone this time?"

"Was she okay?"

Claudia paused with a sigh. She looked up, finally meeting Leena's hazel eyes. She could see the tears welling up. Claudia didn't know how she could even cry anymore. The redhead had stopped crying after a week. It'd been too crushing, a waste of her time. She couldn't sit back and cry. She needed to be searching for her daughter.

"She's fine."

She didn't mention how ragged the teenager looked. Her clothes were starting to look too big for her. Her normally straightened hair was back to its naturally curly state, which told Claudia she had no access to a flat iron. She couldn't tell anything else except that her guitar was gone and she still had her laptop. No other small details. Security cameras weren't all that spectacular.

Leena nodded, taking a deep breath.

"We're gonna find her," Claudia promised.

"It's been two months," Leena stated, obviously discouraged.

"I know. But I'm going to."

"You should get some sleep."

Claudia shook her head. She knew very well that her eyes were blood shot and there were bags developing under them. Sleep was hard to come by nowadays. She'd never say it – not that she had to – but she had frequent nightmares about finding their daughter dead. Leena may not have known the details of her dreams, but she could read it in her aura.

"No. I'm gonna try and hack around her hack. See if I can catch her again. She's in Tennessee," Claudia said.

"Tennessee?! How on Earth did she get there?" She was obviously still worried, but there was also a hint of outrage.

"She's at a bus station. I'm gonna take that as an answer," Claudia said.

"Can't you track her debit card? See if she's bought anything recently?"

"I did. Same as last time. She hasn't used it in weeks. Jett's a smart girl. She knows I can track it. Same reason she hasn't used her phone. At least we know we did one thing right in parenting her."

"I should've stopped her," Leena mumbled. Claudia shook her head, fingers typing away at lightning speed. They'd had this conversation before. It was something she was growing used to and her responses were growing more and more automated.

"Nothing would've stopped her. She's me. You remember how I was," Claudia explained. "Jett's a runner."

"But I could've-"

"You couldn't," Claudia cut her off curtly. "It's like when I went to Switzerland after the whole MacPherson thing. Only difference is I had a destination. Jett's just wandering with nowhere to go. It's harder to stop her."

"Then how are we going to?"

"I dunno. We just will. She has to stop at some point. And when she does, I will go to her and drag her ass back here."

Claudia ran her fingers through her hair again, sighing. As awesome as it was to have a daughter so much like her, sometimes it was a pain. Actually, this was beyond pain. This was like being on the excruciating brink of death and, despite wanting it, never being able to have its relief.

Their daughter had snuck out in the middle of the night two months ago and hadn't been home since. She'd always been just a bit rebellious. It was something Claudia and Leena both knew how to handle, because of Claudia's own youth. But over the few months before she'd disappeared, her behavior had just gotten worse and her grades had dropped drastically. Not only that, but there was a constant hostility surging from her being which was an oddity, seeing as she'd inherited Leena's chill demeanor.

"I better get dinner ready. Myka and Helena will be home soon," Leena said, exiting the breakfast nook. Claudia returned her attention to the computer.

"Olivia Jett Donovan, I'm gonna find you."


	2. Hopeless

A month passed without much of a trace of their daughter. Myka, H.G., Pete, and Steve went on field missions as usual, but kept an eye out in case their teenage god daughter popped up. Myka and H.G. couldn't imagine losing their own daughter, so the pain their friends were going through was inconceivable. Claudia had spotted Jett on several security cams, but each one in a different state and at least a week apart. The girl was getting around fast. Artie tried getting Claudia out into the field, but the Caretaker wasn't having it. She couldn't focus her mind on anything else.

It was raining outside – storming, in fact – when Claudia almost completely gave up hope. She knew that she couldn't give up on her own kid. She knew that that looked and sounded horrible. And she wasn't a horrible mother. But damn, if she didn't feel like her search was useless. How was her teenage daughter eluding her? And so well, too.

Claudia shut her laptop, rubbing her eyes. She stood up from the table, passing through the den where most of her family was seated, watching TV. Myka and H.G. were cuddled up on the couch. Steve and Liam were set on the other side of the couch. A pregnant Kelly was in an armchair, Pete seated at her feet. Claudia assumed Kate, Myka and H.G.'s daughter, was helping Leena in the kitchen while Pete and Steve's boys were upstairs with her son.

"I'm going to bed. Night, guys," Claudia mumbled, headed toward the stairs. Pete watched her before exchanging a miserable look with Steve. Myka and H.G. also looked down. It was torture watching the usually exuberant Claudia go through such a rough depression. As she reached the banister, Claudia glanced toward the kitchen entryway. The door was open, probably to keep cool air circulating in. Leena met her eye, pausing what she was doing. Claudia sighed, watching as the other woman's eyes wandered her figure intently. When she finished, Leena bit her lip and returned to what she was doing. Claudia had to wonder: Was her hopelessness evident in her aura?

Claudia went upstairs, pausing when she reached the top. She thought her tears were all gone, but they weren't. She could feel them stinging at her eyes, making a second coming. Her throat closed up and it was hard to breathe. Claudia grabbed her chest, entering one of the bedrooms.

The Caretaker took a deep breath, finding herself in Jett's room. She looked around as if something had changed. As if maybe Jett would pop up and go, "Hey! What'd I miss?" But nothing was out of place. Leena had straightened up the room the day after their daughter had run away. The bed was made. The desk was organized in a way only Leena could achieve. Jett's bookshelf was filled and organized the way she liked, her reference books the first on the shelf and the most used. The dresser drawers were pushed all the way in for once. The place where her guitar usually sat was empty. Her keyboard was unplugged, the keys gathering dust. Her practice drum kit – Leena had fought so hard for Jett not to get it – was in the corner, waiting for its skilled player to return.

Claudia sighed, leaving the room and closing the door behind her. She thought it was morbid that going into that room actually made her feel better instead of worse. Leena couldn't bear to step foot in that room after she'd cleaned it. She'd barely managed to do that. But Claudia went in there whenever she felt like life was swallowing her whole.

She went to her and Leena's room and crashed onto their bed. She glanced at the clock. Only 8:30. How odd for her, but she just didn't feel like dealing at that moment. She didn't feel like being conscious. Not right now. Maybe sleep, as little as she'd get, would reenergize her. So, she closed her eyes, knowing that Jett would be waiting behind the lids.

It was a few hours before Leena joined her. The Lattimers and the Napier-Jinks family had left to their nearby homes and Myka, H.G., and Kate had gone to bed a little while ago.

Leena managed a small smile. At least Claudia was sleeping and deeply for that matter. It was a rarity to catch her sleeping. And when she was, she was usually tossing and turning restlessly.

The older woman changed, preparing to sleep as well. As she was climbing into bed, there was a knock on the door downstairs. She furrowed her brow. Maybe Pete or Steve had left something behind. She wandered through the dark Bed & Breakfast without issue, going to the door. She turned on the foyer light before unlocking and opening the front door.

The girl was hugging herself, eyes cast down at the door mat. She was pulling a metallic silver jacket tight against her small frame. There was a black hoodie underneath it, the hood fallen off of her head. Her curls were soaked by the rain, the purple and blue extension standing out against dark hair. Her jeans were torn and her high tops were stained with mud and soaked through. Her backpack strap had fallen from her shoulder, hanging from her elbow. On her wrist were black rubber bracelets. She looked up at Leena with hazel eyes.

"Mommy," Jett squeaked before collapsing.


	3. Hazard

"Claudia!" Leena called, catching their teenage daughter. She slowly lowered her to the floor, cradling her. She placed two fingers where Jett's neck met her jaw. She was still alive, but her pulse was slowing. "Claudia!"

She heard footsteps coming from upstairs, rushing. More than one pair.

Kate was the first one to appear. Her pale blue eyes widened and she jumped the remaining stairs. She dropped to her knees next to Leena and Jett, watching the girl for a moment.

"I'll take her to the couch," the young woman said, slowly taking Jett from Leena's arms. She knew her godmother had to be in shock and that Leena wouldn't want to let Jett go, yet. However, she also knew that, between the two of them, she was the one who could pick up the teenage girl right now. She lifted up the younger girl and carried her into the den as Claudia, Myka, and Helena came down.

"What's going on?" Claudia asked as Leena stood up.

"Jett," she mumbled, looking into the den. Claudia's brown eyes widened and she rushed into the den just as Kate was setting the girl on the couch. Claudia knelt next to her, placing a hand on her cheek. She looked pale and her eyes looked like they were blackening. Leena sat next to Claudia, grabbing her daughter's hand. "She's freezing."

"Come on, kid. Wake up," Claudia said, patting Jett's cheek gently.

"Something's off," Leena said, observing the teenager carefully. Claudia glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. "Her aura…" Leena didn't finish.

"Momma," Claudia heard Jett mumble. Her head snapped in her direction. She couldn't help the grin that spread on her face. She hadn't heard that voice in months.

"Hey. Don't ever do that again," she reprimanded, but she had a feeling it wasn't effective because she was smiling like an idiot. Jett took a shaky breath.

"I don't feel good," she struggled.

"Well, yeah. Who knows how long you've been walking around in that storm?" Claudia said, trying to lighten the mood.

"She's got an artifact on her," Leena stated, standing up. Claudia looked up at her with wide eyes. Myka and H.G., who had been watching from the side with Kate, left the room, obviously preparing to bag or goo whatever it was Jett had on her.

"How do you know?" Claudia asked, looking back at Jett. Leena gave her a look of disbelief.

"Is that a serious question? Her aura. I was hired by the Warehouse for a reason. As Caretaker, you should be able to sense it, too," Leena responded. "Now what is it?"

Claudia looked over their daughter attentively, searching. What was out of place? What wasn't hers?

"Jett?" Claudia said. The teenager looked up at her, eyes somewhat squinted. She hummed in response. "Where did you get this jacket?" Jett looked away from her, quiet. She swallowed hard, straining. Claudia tilted her head to the side, cocking an eyebrow. "Olivia Jett, where did you get the jacket?"

"I stole it," their daughter answered, her light voice raspy and weak.

"Jesus, Jett!"

"Claudia, we'll deal with that later. Jett, where did you get it from?"

Jett managed a shrug, looking at Leena with matching hazel eyes.

"It was just some pawn shop. I figured they wouldn't miss it," she admitted. Kate was already in the breakfast nook with Claudia's computer started up. Myka and H.G. returned to the den with regulatory purple gloves.

"You really think it's the jacket?" Leena asked her wife. Claudia nodded.

"Has to be. Everything else on her is hers. Everything but the jacket."

"I found the jacket Jett stole and cross referenced it with the Warehouse database," Kate said, entering the room. The Bering-Wells child had Claudia's laptop in her arms and turned it for everyone to see. "David Copperfield's jacket. The one he wore when he made the Statue of Liberty disappear. It allows the wearer to go unnoticed, seemingly disappear. It's a contact mood. Side effects are… Well, I think you can guess. I doubt the fact that she's malnourished and cold helps."

"Told you," Claudia boasted for a moment.

"Thank you, Kate," Leena said, rolling her eyes.

"It's no wonder I couldn't find you. You had a bit of extra help like that episode of Doctor Who with the TARDIS keys. Let's get this off of you." Claudia moved to take off the jacket.

"Claudia!" Leena warned. The redhead looked up at her. "You're not wearing gloves. Let Myka or Helena do it." The younger woman looked at the two field agents. She nodded.

"Right," she said, standing up. "Sorry."

Myka approached the couch. Helping the teen sit up, she gingerly removed the jacket from Jett's body, leaving her in only her black hoodie. She tossed Copperfield's jacket to H.G. who immediately took it outside. A few moments later, they noticed a few purple and gold sparks through the window.

"Artifact or no artifact," Leena said, kneeling down. She placed a hand on Jett's forehead. "You still have a fever. I'll make you some soup."

A weak chortle escaped Jett's lips.

"I definitely missed your food," she rasped. Leena smiled, kissing her daughter's forehead.

"I missed _you_," she replied softly. Jett smiled as Leena stood up, leaving the room.

"I'll help you," Kate said, following her. Claudia crouched down next to Jett again, running her fingers through her wet curls. Already, the teenager was looking a slight bit better.

"You scared us. You know that?" Claudia said. Jett's smile faded and she nodded. "Don't do it again. I know you're sixteen. I know you're not always going to agree with me and your mom. Doesn't matter. We're still in charge."

"Even when I'm fifty and you guys are still in your twenties?" Jett teased. Claudia smiled, laughing. She nodded.

"Yup. Even then," Claudia said. She pressed her forehead to Jett's. "I missed you. I love Jordan, but he still hasn't mastered the drums." Jett laughed.

"How is the monster? You didn't let him in my room, did you?"

"He wouldn't go near it. He's at Uncle Steve's, spending the night with Bradley and Todd. He missed you, too."

"I missed him, too. Crazy, right?" Jett mumbled. Claudia laughed. "I'm sorry."

"You should be. But I'm glad you're back, kiddo. Can't lose my protégé."


	4. Home

Jett sat at the table the next morning a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Leena had advised she wear sweatpants to bed, but the teenager, in her rebellious way, wore her usual pajama shorts. Kate was sitting next to her, telling her about her first mission out on the field. Leena was in the kitchen with Myka. H.G. and Claudia were still upstairs.

"I am so jealous!" Jett said with a grin. Her cinnamon skin wasn't as pale as the night before and, though she still had a high temperature, her fever was broken, thanks to Leena's remedies. "I can't wait to go out in the field."

"Yeah, well, after the stunt you pulled, your mom might make you wait until you turn twenty instead of nineteen," Kate teased. Jett laughed mirthlessly, a small groan escaping her. Kate took a sip of her tea before glancing at her friend. "How'd you get out of here anyway? If you don't mind me asking."

Jett looked at her for a moment before looking out the window.

"Chris came and picked me up in the middle of the night. I climbed out my window and me, him, and a few others just drove off. Wasn't exactly difficult," Jett answered with a shrug. Kate ran her fingers through her dark hair which immediately went back into its neatly straightened form.

"Why'd you leave?"

Jett sighed, still staring out the window. The grass was still wet from the storm. The sun was shining through the window, casting a golden glow about the room. The garden was lush and colorful. Jett expected nothing less of her mother's garden.

"I dunno," she said after a minute's silence. She shrugged again. "I honestly don't. Guess I was feeling more rebellious than usual."

"And it took you three months to come to your senses and come home?"

"I thought I could handle life on my own. And then Chris and the others ditched me and I really was alone."

Kate nodded, looking into her mug.

"So, how'd your mom react to the tattoo?" she asked, trying to lighten up the mood again. Jett chuckled, meeting Kate's blue eyes and rubbing the yin-yang symbol on her upper arm.

"Which one? _Momma_ thought it was cool. _Mommy_… Well, she – let's just say, she lost her zen." She couldn't help the grin on her face as she shook her head. "But she's cool with it now. She weighed it against the drug and alcohol filled activities of my cohorts. She prefers me getting a tattoo to me getting drunk or high as a minor."

Kate snorted, throwing her head back as she laughed. Jett joined her in laughing. Leena and Myka entered the room, dishes in hand. They placed them on the table, staring at their cackling daughters in confusion.

"What are you two laughing at?" Myka asked, biting the bullet.

"The troubles our parents go through with us," Kate giggled. Jett laughed even harder. Leena couldn't help grinning, hearing the vivacious laughter escaping her daughter. It'd been missing for far too long. And her aura was a vivacious turquoise, matching Claudia's.

Claudia and H.G. came downstairs. Claudia was still buttoning up her plaid shirt as she approached the table.

"Hey. Everything smells amazing," she complimented, planting a kiss on Leena's lips. She and H.G. looked at their daughters. "Did I miss something?"

"What are they laughing about?" H.G. asked, wrapping her arms around Myka..

"They're insane," Myka shrugged. Claudia cocked an eyebrow and shrugged, sitting across from her daughter. H.G. sat across from Kate. Leena and Myka returned to the kitchen to continue gathering the food for breakfast.

"I haven't laughed that hard in ages," Jett said as her laughing calmed.

Outside, the sound of two cars pulling into the driveway could be faintly heard. Jett and Kate looked towards the front door. A few moments later, they heard it click open and the sound of boys' laughter echoing through the house.

"It's not funny, guys!" Jett heard one boy say. She recognized the voice as Todd's, the youngest of all the Warehouse kids, as they called themselves. He was Steve and Liam's son. _He's matured_, Jett thought. Last time she'd heard him, she was making fun of him for not hitting puberty.

"It totally is," Jack's voice came through, sharp and clear. He was Pete's second son.

"Listen, Todd, we warned you. Whoever fell asleep first was getting pranked. You fell asleep first. Bradley and I acted," another boy said. Her brother. His voice had matured, too, but she heard it crack. Coming into view, her brother and Bradley, Steve and Liam's older son, high fived.

"I can't believe we missed it," Robbie, Pete's youngest son, laughed. The five boys headed straight for the stairs, ignoring the breakfast nook.

"Jordan Bowie Donovan!" Jett called out. Her brother stopped on the stairs and finally looked at her. His dark eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "You better come give me a hug, you monster!" Jordan let out a breath of disbelief, pushing past the other boys to get down the stairs. He ran through the den to his sister. He leaned down and hugged her tightly.

"Holy frak! You're alive!" Jordan exclaimed. Leena stepped into the room, hearing the commotion. She smiled, seeing her two children together again. "Never ever do that again! If I have to watch mommy cry over you one more time, I will hunt you down myself." He pulled away from his older sister, holding onto her arms. Jett laughed, smiling at her younger brother.

"How? You're thirteen," she challenged. "What are you gonna do? Hitch hike?"

"That's what you've been doing obviously," Jordan retorted.

"Touché," Jett returned.

"Sit down, boys. Breakfast is almost ready," Leena said. Jordan sat in the empty chair on Jett's left.

As the other teenage boys entered the room, they gave Jett a hug in passing. All except Jack who, with his hands shoved in his pockets, mumbled a nervous "Welcome home." Kelly hugged her tightly from behind, murmuring, "Glad to have you back," before going to help Leena and Myka. A few moments later, Steve and Liam entered through the back with another small table, Pete guiding them. With the family growing so much, they needed two tables in the nook in order to all eat together.

"Alright, and put it – Jett!" Pete exclaimed excitedly. Jett smiled.

"Hey Uncle Pete. Uncle Steve. Uncle Liam," she replied as the men put down the table. Claudia got up to put a cloth over it. Myka and Leena exited the kitchen again. Pete looked at them, pointing at Jett.

"So, this is why you called a family breakfast," he chuckled. Jett stood up as he approached her, hugging him. Pete always gave the biggest hugs. "Glad you're safe. I guess I better call Junior. He's been checking in from West Point when he can."

Steve and Liam hugged her next.

"We were so worried. We missed you," Steve said.

"Thanks," Jett said, sitting down again.

"You're home just in time for Jack's show. He's finally letting us see him perform," Pete told her. Jett looked toward Jack who shrugged. He made eye contact with her briefly.

"It's not a big deal," he mumbled, looking away from her, digging his fingers into his dark hair.

"Of course it's a big deal," Kelly said, returning to the nook. Kate leaned toward Jett.

"He missed you," she teased in a whisper, glancing at Jack.

Once everything was set, everyone gathered around the table.

"Alright. All we're missing are-" The doorbell interrupted Claudia. Leena was the one to get up and answer the door. Artie entered the house with Vanessa.

"Sorry, we're late," Artie said.

"Oh, no worries. We're just starting," Leena giggled, returning to her seat across from her son.

"Miss me, Grumps?" Jett asked, looking at Artie. The old man looked at her. He tried withholding a smile from the rebellious teenager. Claudia couldn't resist a laugh. Jett and Artie shared a similar relationship to the one she'd had with him as a teen.

"And what did you think you were doing, Olivia?" Artie asked in a fatherly manner, taking a seat on the other side of Jordan while Vanessa sat next to Leena.

"I thought I was being grown. Then I found out I have a lot to learn about life," Jett replied honestly. Artie smiled softly. He reached over Jordan for her hand.

"At least you learned a lesson."

Jett nodded.

"I think we can all agree that we're happy the prodigal daughter has returned," Claudia said, looking at her daughter. "Now let's eat before the food gets cold."


End file.
